Chuka Umunna: More power for London and the regions – but not for me September 21, 2014 The shadow business secretary has been hailed as his party’s next big thing so many times the joke is starting to wear a little thin. Chuka Umunna scoffs at the suggestion that shadow chancellor Ed Balls could be shuffled out before the general election, making way for him to step up. “There will be no [...]
Pros and cons of making the move into consultancy January 21, 2015 You won’t necessarily have more security as a formal employee. If you're thinking about moving on from your current job – and over a third of UK workers are, according to research from the Institute of Leadership and Management – instead of finding work as a formal employee, it may be worth considering a [...]
New job? What to look out for when signing a contract January 4, 2015 Have you been offered a new job? It’s worth negotiating the key terms. Do you have the back to work blues? For many, the Christmas and New Year break is an opportunity to reassess your position. It may be that you feel you are being undervalued and aren’t getting a fair deal at work. [...]
Plain packaging could put Britain’s reputation for intellectual property at risk March 10, 2015 It’s an acronym that might be thought to only excite lawyers, but the importance of IP (intellectual property) to the economy cannot be overstated. If we want a business environment that promotes trade and investment, it’s crucial that we’re seen as a global leader in this area. Thankfully, the UK has many strengths. We have [...]
Rapid climb in headcount at firms in professional sector November 24, 2014 The business and professional sector is seeing its fastest growth in employment for seven years. Survey data released today by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) also shows hiring intentions in the business and professional sector – which included accountants, lawyers and marketing firms – remained high. The difference between the percentage of firms reporting [...]
Banker bonus cap row: Lawyers react to the European Court of Justice bonus cap rebuffal November 20, 2014 The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rebuffed George Osborne's battle against banker bonus caps – but what do the City's lawyers think of it? To recap, today Niilo Jääskinen, an advocate general at the European Court of Justice's (ECJ), said the bonus caps – which limit bankers' bonuses at 100 per cent of [...]
After Yaya Toure’s post-birthday quit threat: Four ways to hang on to top talent May 22, 2014 Retaining high-flying employees is a challenge for all businesses, and it’s not always just a matter of remuneration. Premier league-winning footballer Yaya Toure, for example, recently announced that he may leave Manchester City because he feels his birthday was not properly recognised by the club’s owners. This, despite a reported £220,000-a-week salary. The club now [...]
After Yaya Toure’s post-birthday quit threat: Four ways to hang on to top talent May 22, 2014 Retaining high-flying employees is a challenge for all businesses, and it’s not always just a matter of remuneration. Premier league-winning footballer Yaya Toure, for example, recently announced that he may leave Manchester City because he feels his birthday was not properly recognised by the club’s owners. This, despite a reported £220,000-a-week salary. The club now [...]
Asda faces mass legal action over pay inequality: Female shopfloor workers say they receive less than males in warehouses October 26, 2014 Thousands of female shop floor workers are taking legal action against Asda over pay inequality. They claim they are paid less than many male employees working in warehouses, despite doing equally valuable work for the supermarket chain. Law firm Leigh Day told the Guardian that 19,000 Asda employees had approached it since April, [...]
Rihanna vs Topshop: Three things businesses need to know about using celebrity images and endorsements January 23, 2015 Rihanna's “We Found Love” was one of the biggest hit songs of the autumn of 2011. Some readers may remember the furore surrounding the video shoot when the farmer, whose land the video was shot on, took a dislike to Rihanna’s dancing style and dress sense. Yesterday, we saw the next instalment in another dispute [...]